World Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Phytopharmacological Overview on Terminalia Arjuna Wight And
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World Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences ISSN (Print): 2321-3310; ISSN (Online): 2321-3086 Published by Atom and Cell Publishers © All Rights Reserved Available online at: http://www.wjpsonline.org/ Review Article Phytopharmacological overview on Terminalia arjuna Wight and Arn Narendra Kumar Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Haryana, Gurgaon- 122413, India Received: 26-09-2014 / Revised: 13-10-2014 / Accepted: 23-10-2014 ABSTRACT The application of medicinal plants to maintain health and treat disease started since time immemorial and still is a part of medical practice.Terminalia arjuna is a tree with simple leaf, smooth and thick bark belonging to the family Combretaceae. Flowers are small, regular, sessile, cup-shaped, polygamous, white, creamy or greenish- white and robustly honey-scented and flowering from April to Julys. Its fruit is a drupe, 2.5–5 cm long, ovoid or oblong, fibrous-woody, smooth-skinned with five hard angles or wings.Ancient Indian physicians used the powdered tree bark of Terminalia arjuna Wight & Arn. for alleviating ―hritshool‖ (angina) and othercardiovascular conditions. Also believed to be a natural liver tonic, Arjuna regulates cholesterol by decreasing LDL levels in the liver. Arjuna is a best hepatitis reliever and heart strengthener for humankind. Leaves of Terminalia arjuna are best healing for hepatitis .Its stem bark possesses glycosides, large quantities of flavonoids, tannins and minerals. Arjuna contains specific active constituents namely Arjunilic acid, Tomentosic acid, Sitossterol, Triterpine glycosides like Arjunetosides , Arjunine and Arjunetein. The bark is rich in Saponnins, natural anti-oxidants (flavonoids-arjunone,arjunolone,leteilin), gallic acid, ellagic acid, phytosterols, rich in minerals like calcium, magnesium, zinc and copper, reducing sugars & coloring matter.The Arjuna bark with its remarkable medicinal properties helps, maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Arjuna is known to possess diuretic properties This have been recorded as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and lipid lowering effects while glycosides are cardiotonic, thus making Terminalia arjuna unique amongst currently used medicinal plants. In this review an attempt has been made to discuss various aspects of its ethnomedical, phytochemical, pharmacological, antimicrobial, antibacterial, antifungal, insecticidal, antihelmintic, immunomodulatory, antidiabetic, radioprotective, antimutagenic properties for benefit of mankind. Experimental studies have revealed that whole plant is highly useful staring from its use in cardiovascular tonic to asthma. There is ample evidence of its beneficial effect in coronary artery disease. The extracts of Arjuna are known to help in strengthening the heart muscles, relieving stress, and hypertension. Arjuna is effective for a variety of heart related conditions like high blood pressure, heart palpitations, rapid heartbeat and high cholesterol. These reports are very encouraging and indicate that this should be studied more extensively for its therapeutic benefits. Key words:Terminalia arjuna, ethnomedicinal, phytochemical, cardiotonic INTRODUCTION have been described to be beneficial for cardiac ailments in ―Atharva Veda‖ an ancient treatise Terminalia arjuna is a miracle herb which was from which Ayurveda, the Indian system of used during ancient times to cure heart problems. Medicine owes its origin[4,5]. Ancient medical In ancient Ayurvedic literature, Vagbhata and scientists have mentioned the properties of others have described the juice of Arjuna bark as a Terminalia arjuna herb. Indian medical knowledge tonic and astringent. They have recommended it known as Ayurveda goes back millennia. The for the treatment of heart diseases. Arjuna is Vedas and Puranas refer various materials of reported to be a beneficial herb in treating heart medical importance including herbs, plants and problems since 1200 B.C. Vagbhatta was the first trees. In which Terminalia arjuna Wight & Arn. to cite this in his book ‗Astang Hridayam‘ written (arjuna) has prominent place and have been some 1200 years ago [1]. Subsequently, identified and researched for their putative lipid Chakradutta and also Bhawa Mishra, described its lowering and cardioprotective activities [6]. The use in chest pain [2,3]. Several medicinal plants plant which has shown most promising and distinct *Corresponding Author Address: Dr Narendra Kumar, Senior Lecturer, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Haryana, Gurgaon (Manasar-122413), India; E-Mail: [email protected] Kumar, World J Pharm Sci 2014; 2(11): 1557-1566 results is Terminalia arjuna Wight & Arn., pharmacognostical, phytochemical, popularly known as arjuna [7]. Modern research pharmacological, insecticidal, anthelmintic, has discovered that Terminalia arjuna has immunomodulatory, antidiabetic radioprotective antioxidant properties and may be clinically helpful and antioxidant, antimutagenic, toxicity and side in cardiovascular health. A deciduous tree found effects parameters under different conditions. abundantly in the Indian subcontinent, Terminalia arjuna is a heart stimulant that can prove effective SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION: in the treatment of a number of heart conditions. Kingdom:Plantae Found commonly in the Himalayan region, the Division:Magnoliophyta bark of the plant is used by traditional Indian Class:Magnoliopsida medicine for a number of herbal preparations to Order:Myrtales treat cardiac disorders. Family:Combretaceae Genus:Terminalia Terminalia arjuna is a tree with simple leaf, Species:T. arjuna smooth and thick bark belonging to the family English Name: White Marudah Combretaceae. Flowers are small, regular, sessile, Common (Indian) Names: cup-shaped, polygamous, white, creamy or Hindi: Arjun, Arjuna, Koha, Kahu, Arjan; greenish-white and robustly honey-scented and Gujrati: Arjun - Sadada, Sadado;Canarese: Bili- flowering from April to July. The inflorescences Holo-Nir-Tora Matti, Maddi; Marathi: Arjuna, are short axillary spikes or small terminal panicles Arjun Sadada, Sadura; Sanskrit: Arjuna, Dhanvi, and fruits are obovoid-oblong, dark brown to Indradruma, Kakubha, Karvirak.; Oriya: Arjuna reddish brown fibrous woody, indehiscent drupe Sahajo; and ripening from February to May [8]. All the Tamil: Vellamatta;Telugu: Yerramaddi;Assam: Orj parts of the plant have been used for their un;Bengali: Arjhan;Punjabi: Arjuna therapeutic beneficiary effect from ancient times. T. arjuna helps to maintain a healthy heart and Botanical Details: Terminalia arjuna is a decrease the effects of stress and anxiety [9]. It has deciduous tree found throughout India . The arjuna antibacterial [10], antimutagenic, hypolipidemic, is about 20–25 metres tall; usually has antioxidant and hypocholesterolaemic and anti- a buttressed trunk, and forms a wide canopy at the inflammatory effects. T. arjuna have the capability crown, from which branches drop downwards. It to protect the liver and kidney tissues against CCl4- has oblong, conical leaves which are green on the induced oxidative stress by increasing antioxidative top and brown below; smooth, grey bark; it has defense activities [11]. Its chemical constituents act pale yellow flowers which appear between March as a gastro-protective agent [12]. Different types of and June; its glabrous, 2.5 to 5 cm fibrous woody bioactive compound have been isolated from this fruit, divided into five wings, appears between medicinal plant possesses enormous value in September and November. It has huge, often medicine among then arjunolic acid is very well buttressed trunk and horizontally spreading known. branches. Extent of buttressing in different localities has been found to be due to local factors The aim of the present study was to deliver the and is not determined genetically . Among different literal studies of T. arjuna with its phytochemical species of Terminalia the bark of Terminalia and pharmacological characteristics.Also believed arjuna has its own characteristic features . In a to be a natural liver tonic, Arjuna regulates comparative study of the barks of Terminalia cholesterol by decreasing LDL levels in the liver. It arjuna and Terminalia tomentosa it was found that is advocated by Ayurveda as a liver tonic. The the bark of Terminalia arjuna is smooth, pinkish- extracts of Arjuna are known to help in grey from outside and flakes off in large, curved strengthening the heart muscles, relieving stress, and rather flat pieces. The size of each piece may and hypertension. Arjuna is also thought to fortify vary up to 15 cm or more in length, 10 cm in width the central nervous system and to quicken and 3–10mm in thickness. Sapwood is reddish individual reflexes. Recently there has been white and heartwood is brown and variegated with renewed interest in this plant because of its dark coloured streaks. The histology of Terminalia multimode cardioprotective activity. As there is no arjuna bark reveals the presence of single layered single drug till date which alone or in combination epidermis with hair like projections and few offers definite and reliable protection and/or cure scattered lenticels. Underlying the epidermis is a from the ravages of atherosclerotic cardiovascular thin layer of cortex. Periderm and secondary disorders, the time is ripe for evaluating the role of phloem are present in the old bark . Leaves are Terminalia arjuna in the overall management of simple, borne sub-opposite coriaceous, often related cardiovascular disorders. The present paper crenulating,